Original car

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aman538

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I recently bought a 1928 4 dr phaeton. This car was owned by the same family since new. It has been parked in a barn since 1964 & not driven. My question is I bought this car to sell. Is it better to leave it the way it is (surface rust but nothing serious) or restore it. I am having the engine & trans rebuilt, but nothing else. The radiator has been boiled out and is good with 5 lbs of pressure.
 
Remember once you restore such a neat "find" you will have a car just like everybody else's car. What you now have is unique and its condition could be very important to the next "custodian". Also, the sum of the original purchase price and the cost of restoration will almost always exceed it's value. Gar Williams
 
As an owner of original unrestored cars and motorcycles and always looking for more, I recommend leaving the car alone. It will be of more interest to more people in its present condition. Doing a quickie resto will make it suspicious IMHO. Let the next owner decide whether it is going to get a full ground up or just have the needs attended to so it can be driven "as is."
 
I vote for leaving it as is. All I did to this 40 was rewire,and completely rebuilt the brakes to made it road worthy.I did pull the heads and pan on the engine but there was no wear in it so I just put it back. I have twice the fun in it rather than my restored 40.
 

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My opinion is get it roadworthy and have some fun.....I had couple restored cars and was always worried about a door ding or scratched...I restored a 40 coupe 5 years ago and put it in primer...ppg black.....Patina is in ...along with a good story....patina cars are bring as much as newly painted cars....and you still have the 8 thous you saved by not painting it!! Have a good year....gump
 
Focusing on your statemant that "I bought this car to SELL"

The act of getting the engine & trans rebuilt alone will very likely have you in for more than you'll ever sell this car for.
If your sole intention is to turn a profit... said profit will diminish the further you go.
How do you know the potential buyer wants the engine rebuilt to the "resale" specs that you choose to have it built to? Do you think anybody is going to even give you full value for what you spend? I wouldn't.
I'd automatically think the engine & trans was patched together on a budget solely for the intention of resale, I'd assume a short lifespan and pay you accordingly.
(actually I'd walk because the cherry's been popped, you wrecked it)
Assuming you truly have an original car, meaning engine & frame numbers & registration matching and most of the original bolts and nuts are intact....it'll never get any better in the eye of a purist who wants this caliber of vehicle.
I would suggest putting your "fixup" money towards some extensive advertising and leave those who seek these rare original pieces to determine the market value.
Sorry, this isn't intended to sound as harsh as it seems, there's just no room left for sugar coating. You need to be aware of the prices which model A's are actually SELLING for (not asking) then present the car to it's stongest market with clear concise pictures and the facts. I feel this will realize your best profit. Good luck.
 
You need to post pics of your new find.
I hope you still have the car intact and have taken nothing off and have thrown nothing away. I'm sure there are guys who would love to buy this baby just AS IS. If you mess with it AT ALL, you're loosing $. Example, Throw the original fan belt away, minus $400. Throw the carpet away, minus $400, replace the spark plugs, minus $200, and on and on. Leave the car as you found it until you get educated.
Best Luck,
Jim
 
Just like the others have said, an A Model in original condition is just like any other antique.Look at Antiques Roadshow....those items that have not had any restoration or repairs done to them bring the most money.In my opinion, anything you do to it at all other than wash it will make it less and less valuable.Don't turn a bolt if you are going to sell it.
 
Leave it like it is, unrestored A's don't show up very often. Once you start restoring there is no place to stop. Let the new owner make the decision to restore or drive it like it is. I was lucky to come up with July 28 Phaeton with 58,000 original miles; went thru the engine only, cleaned it up and drove it; the paint was thin in spots and most of the stripping had been polished off; everone one who saw the car said don't do anything else to it, and I didn't. Les Andrews, who purchased the car from me, also drove it like it was and didn't restore it.

Ron
 
I will bet you anything that Mr. aman538 has already removed the engine and transmission for rebuild (he has already cleade up the radiator)...if so...bummer.

Pluck
 
Restore the car. Send it to a restoration shop .Cost for a fine point restoration [correctly] $75,000 to $100,000. depending on how crazy you want to get with n.o.s. parts.Then Sell it for $40,000.00 tops for a 28/29 phaeton [if that and if your very lucky]..If you bought it to resell then even rebuilding the engine/****** might of priced it over what someone is now willing to spend. Pictures will help... good luck and keep all bills for work done.
 
STOP! Finish what you started, reinstall the rebuilt stuff and sell it "AS IS", there far too many botched fix ups on the market.
aman538 said:
I recently bought a 1928 4 dr phaeton. This car was owned by the same family since new. It has been parked in a barn since 1964 & not driven. My question is I bought this car to sell. Is it better to leave it the way it is (surface rust but nothing serious) or restore it. I am having the engine & trans rebuilt, but nothing else. The radiator has been boiled out and is good with 5 lbs of pressure.
Click to expand...
 
I have an untouched original 29 truck, complete with the desirable patina and no rust. The engine was worn out when I bought it but I drove it a year before pulling the the engine and replacing with a ready to go temporary unit. The rebuilt original will go back in as it came out.....without green (or any) paint. Just something to consider as you work through your rebuild. And yes, it is more fun than my restored ones and draws unbelieveable crowds.
 
people love the original "ruffer" cars. You can park a fine point car next to an original unrestored car and guess which one will have the bigger crowd around it. Get the car running good, and you can make a profit on it when, if, you go to sell it. I say IF because once you get it running and driving you will have so much fun with this car ,because you dont have to worry about paint or interior, that you wont want to sell it.
 
aman538 said:
I recently bought a 1928 4 dr phaeton. This car was owned by the same family since new. It has been parked in a barn since 1964 & not driven. My question is I bought this car to sell. Is it better to leave it the way it is (surface rust but nothing serious) or restore it. I am having the engine & trans rebuilt, but nothing else. The radiator has been boiled out and is good with 5 lbs of pressure.
Click to expand...

As you have read you will never get your money back on a restoration, period!

I think your best bet for a profit is to get it running and get it to stop well, leaving all else alone.
 
Logan said:
people love the original "ruffer" cars. You can park a fine point car next to an original unrestored car and guess which one will have the bigger crowd around it. Get the car running good, and you can make a profit on it when, if, you go to sell it. I say IF because once you get it running and driving you will have so much fun with this car ,because you dont have to worry about paint or interior, that you wont want to sell it.
Click to expand...

Sorry dumb question- even if it's in really rough shape? rear floor board splintering, seats are hard and so forth?
 
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